Printing device



Dec. 28, 1943. w. J. HANSON PRINTING DEVICE Filed March 14, 1942 I 'h/a/fe y amson ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 28, 1943 PRINTING DEVECE Walter 3. Hanson, Port Chester, N. Y., assigncr to Pitney-Bowes Postage Meter 00., Stamford, 601111., a corporation of Delaware Application March 14, 1942, Serial No. 434,679

shown at I3. Cooperating with said printing die it is a movable impression member it.

A date wheel unit is provided as generally in- 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a printing device which is normally concealed within a casing, and more particularly to an adjustable date wheel portion thereof which is normally supported in a printing position and which is adapted to be rocked outwardly through an opening in the casing to an accessible position for setting.

It is the principal object of the invention to eifect control of a date wheel unit by the movement of a door to an open position, which door normally closes an opening in the casing of a printing machine, said control including the release of the date wheel unit to permit same to be rocked under spring pressure to an accessible position for setting within the space normally enclosed by the door.

It is a further object to also eiiect control by movement of said door to place the date wheel unit in a non-printing position with relation to a printing die element with which it is associated.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise em.- bodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional view through a portion of a casing surrounding a printing unit, and including a date wheel element within the printing unit in a normal printing position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View similar to the printing unit portion of Fig. 1, but showing the date wheel element in a non-printing position;

4 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Fig. 1, but showing the date wheel element as rocked to an accessible position within a. door opening for setting; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view showing a portion of the casing in perspective including the door in an open position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the device comprises a stationary printing die block in having an indicia printing surface H, which is suitably supported upon a frame structure indicated at l2 and concealed within a casing partially dicated at [5, which unit includes adjustable date wheels i6 suitably carried within a support ll. Said support I! is pivotally mounted upon a pin it, carried by a portion of the frame structure l2. By means of a stifi spring it which is Wrapped around the pin it, and which has its ends compressed between a part of the support ii and die block I i), the said support and date wheel unit are normally urged to rotate outwardly of the casing It.

An opening 2! is provided in the casing l3 opposite the date wheel unit and is provided with a door 22 which normally closes the opening. The door 22 is mounted upon a shaft 23 which is supported in suitable bearings carried by the frame structure l2. A cam plate 2% fixed to the shaft 23 has a cam surface 25 along the lower edge thereof which, when the door is closed, is adapted to engage the date wheel support l! and depress same under tension of the spring E9 to a printing position.

In a machine of this character it is necessary to set the date wheel each day, and since the machine is covered entirely by a casing, it becomes necessary to provide some means whereby the date wheels may be conveniently approached for setting. In the present structure the opening of the door 22 will effect a release of the date wheel unit l5 from a printing position as shown in Fig. 1, to an exposed position within the opening 2!, as shown in Fig. 5. When in said latter position the date wheels are completely accessible to the operator. After the desired setting is completed, the unit it is swung about its pivot to return same to the position of Fig. 3, then upon closing the door, the cam portion 25 will engage the date wheel support I! and depress same to move the date wheels into printing position, as in Fig. 1.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a printing device, an indicia printing member, a date printing member including a spring impelled frame therefor, a casing enveloping said printing members, a door normally closing an opening in said casing, means operably connecting the door with the date printing member to depress the frame to a printing position with relation to the indicia printing member when the door is closed, said frame being adjustable under tension of the spring to a non-printing position when the door is moved a predetermined distance.

2. In a printing device, an indicia printing member, a date printing member including a spring impelled frame therefor, a casing enveloping said printing members, a door normally closing an opening in said casing, means operably connecting the door with the date printing member to charge the spring and depress the frame to a printing position with relation to the indicia printing member when the door is closed, said frame being adapted to be rocked under tension of the spring to an accessible position for setting when the door is moved to an open position.

3. In a printing device, an indicia printing member, a spring impelled frame, adjustable type members supported by the frame, a casing enveloping said printing and type members, a door normally closing an opening in said casing, means operably connecting the door with the spring impelled frame to depress he type members therein to a printing position with rela tion to the indicia printing member when the door is closed and to release said typemembers from a printing position when the door is opened.

l. In a printing device, an indicia printing member, a date printing member including settable type Wheels, a casing having an opening therein and enveloping said printing members, manually controlled means including a cam element engageable with the date printing member to depress same to a printing position with relation to the indicia printing member,

spring means normally urging the date printing member away from a printing position, said cam element being releasable from engagement with the date printing member to thereby release the date printing member under pressure of the spring to an accessible position for setting.

5. In a printing device, an indicia printing member, a date printing member including a spring impelled frame therefor, a casing enveloping said printing members, a door normally closing an opening in said casing, a cam element movable with the door and engageable with the frame to charge the spring and depress the date printing member to a printing position when the door is closed, said cam element being releasable from the frame upon opening the door to effect release of the date printing member to an accessible position outside the door opening under influence of the spring.

6. In a printing device, an indicie, printing member, a date wheel unit associated with the printing member for the printing of the combined indicia and date, a casing enclosing the printing member and having an opening therein, and a support for said date wheel unit pivotally mounted on an axis located adjacent the opening in said casing, whereby said date wheel unit support may be rocked about its pivot from an inaccessible printing position within the casing to an accessible position outside t. e casing for periodic adjustment of the date Wheels.

WALTER J. HANSON. 

